Verizon has updated its prepaid offerings with what it calls the ALLSET PLANS. These plans start at $45 for smartphones and include 500MB of data (1GB if you enroll in auto pay) and unlimited talk and text.

If you need more than that base level of data, you have the option of buying “Bridge Data” at:

500MB for $5 (expiring after 30 days)

1GB for $10 (expiring after 60 days)

3GB for $20 (expiring after 90 days)

To be clear on how the Bridge Data works, you buy it whenever you need more data and then it kicks in as soon as you exhaust your 500MB monthly allotment. If you buy some Bridge Data and don’t use up your 500 MB for the month, the Bridge Data won’t just disappear. However, as soon as you tap into the Bridge Data, its expiration date kicks in.

These plans also include tethering, unlimited texting to Canada, Mexico and Puerto Rico and 1,000 minutes of international long distance to Canada and Mexico.

So why aren’t they a good option? Well, the $45 price is fairly costly for what you are getting in terms of the base level data. My own plan with T-Mobile is $30 for unlimited data and texting, though it is admittedly pretty slim on calling with just 100 minutes. Straight Talk would be another option, offering a $45 plan that includes unlimited talk, text and data. Straight Talk’s unlimited data does include a caveat that only the first 2.5GB of usage is at high speeds, but that brings me to the second big downside of the Verizon offering.

Verizon ALLSET PLANS only offer 3G connectivity, regardless of whether or not your phone supports LTE. As a longtime Verizon customer, its 3G coverage may nearly blanket the country, but the speeds are absolutely terrible. The strongest argument for Verizon is its wide LTE coverage, and these plans negate that advantage.

This unquestionably makes Verizon’s ALLSET prepaid offerings more desirable than they were previously, but they still far from the best option for most users.

I know we have some prepaid fans here, so in the interest of helping out those desperate souls that may be eyeballing Verizon’s new plans, go ahead and share your prepaid plan recommendations in the comments section below.

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cubanboyswagg9182

It’s funny how everyone bring up tmobile service when me and wife had them last year and the service sucked. I pay more but with Verizon but I can’t complain about how service been with these guys. My experience has been most part good.

jd

Your mileage may vary depending on your location in the country. In the SF bay area, T-Mobile is quite good. However, when I visit the NYC suburbs, it’s beyond terrible (in Manhattan it was good, though.)

Agasicles

I agree on the T-Mobile front. As with all wireless carriers, comparative statements between carriers are only worthwhile to the individual user when they acurately reflect the carrier conditions in your geographic area. T-Mobile in my area is only 2G, while AT&T offers LTE and HSPA+, and Verizon has LTE, so T-Mobile is pretty much worthless as an option for me.

I would like to ask about StraightTalk, though, as one of my lines, a Nokia Lumia 920, is an AT&T Prepaid line. Does StraightTalk have access to AT&T LTE, and is traffic sub-optimized at a QoS level as opposed to AT&T postpaid or prepaid customer access?

Rob

I’ve got the Straight Talk $45/mo plan with my Nexus 5 and the LTE data is awesome. I’ve never used AT&T so can’t compare, but I’ve never really found myself wishing for faster.

RKSoni

Other MVNOs also offers prepaid plans at damn cheap rates…. At Verizon it costs $45+$20=$65 for unlimited talk, text and 3.5GB data……… http://www.telecomvibe.com

John in Brisbane

Just a couple of random comments from Australia…

1. It seems like you guys were well ahead in the value stakes for a long time but these days your prices are similar to ours, for prepaid at least. For $40 in Oz you can get unlimited national talk and SMS plus up to 5gigs of data. That may or may not be 4g.

2. There are no unlimited data plans in Oz – not even close. Lap it up! The best data is on pay-by-the-month (no contract, but paying in advance) and that’s 8 gigs for $40 or so. Virgin I think.

3. Maybe we should do an international price comparison page? Real-world prices. It would be interesting to see who is getting screwed but it would be useful for travelling.

cheers John

donger

no 4G?

Carmelo

I just got AIO wireless plan unlimited text and talk, 500mb for $35(with auto pay). it also has 2.5gb for $45 and 5gb for $55. Its an AT&t company so it has good coverage where i live. Its prepaid so i always have the option to go to Tmobile, straight talk etc…

Mac

If you autopay with this Allset plan, Verizon will give you back a $5/month credit too which gets the smartphone $45/mo. plan down to $40/mo. Get data doubled to 1 gig too with autopaying.

Spire

Verizon prepaid plans are LTE now… not 3G. And yes, you get a total of 1GB per month with autopay.

What you fail to mention is why many switched to Verizon in the first place and that is that the phone actually works. I had T-mobile and couldn’t even make a phone call out of my own home. Or make it to the grocery five minutes away without dropping a call or cutting out. It was completely unacceptable for a *phone* service.

I have had no service issues with Verizon. It has been rock solid. When I make a call, I expect to be paying my carrier for it to work. Verizon does, for me.

Spire

>” Well, the $45 price is fairly costly for what you are getting in terms of the base level data. ”
As other commenters have pointed out: your blanket directive of a statement is by no means a fair assessment for service to individuals based on their location. I had T-Mobile and could not call out of my own home. I believe this would be considered unacceptable service. Not to mention dropped calls and cutting out on a regular basis when I was out an about.

I moved to Verizon and am happy to say I can call with confidence with solid connections. To be fair, I have read T-Mobile’s coverage is better now but I am confident with my personal experience that Verizon will work whether I am traveling or at home.

Also, Verizon DOES use LTE for it’s prepaid customers as of a few months ago. Sometimes it is only a matter of time… but you have to start somewhere.

dylan

actually I have the allset plan on verizon and it has 4g lte and wifi tethering with my data.. the only downside I can think of is there is no unlimited data with verizon.